SparkNotes: Complete Text of Henry V: Act IV, Scene viii

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READ STUDY GUIDE: Act IV, scenes vi–viii

Act IV, Scene viii:
Before King Henry's pavilion.

[Enter Gower and Williams.]

WILLIAMS:

I warrant it is to knight you, Captain.

[Enter Fluellen.]

FLUELLEN:

God's will and his pleasure, captain, I beseech you now,

come apace to the King. There is more good toward you

peradventure than is in your knowledge to dream of.

WILLIAMS:

Sir, know you this glove?

FLUELLEN:

Know the glove! I know the glove is a glove.

WILLIAMS:

I know this; and thus I challenge it.

[Strikes him.]

FLUELLEN:

'Sblood! an arrant traitor as any is in the universal

world, or in France, or in England!

GOWER:

How now, sir! you villain!

WILLIAMS:

Do you think I'll be forsworn?

FLUELLEN:

Stand away, Captain Gower. I will give treason his

payment into plows, I warrant you.

WILLIAMS:

I am no traitor.

FLUELLEN:

That's a lie in thy throat. I charge you in his Majesty's

name, apprehend him; he's a friend of the Duke Alencon's.

[Enter Warwick and Gloucester.]

WARWICK:

How now, how now! what's the matter?

FLUELLEN:

My lord of Warwick, here is—praised be God for it!—a most

contagious treason come to light, look you, as you shall

desire in a summer's day. Here is his Majesty.

[Enter King Henry and Exeter.]

KING HENRY:

How now! what's the matter?

FLUELLEN:

My liege, here is a villain and a traitor, that, look your Grace,

has struck the glove which your Majesty is take out of the

helmet of Alencon.

WILLIAMS:

My liege, this was my glove; here is the fellow of it; and he

that I gave it to in change promis'd to wear it in his cap. I

promis'd to strike him, if he did. I met this man with my

glove in his cap, and I have been as good as my word.

FLUELLEN:

Your Majesty hear now, saving your Majesty's manhood,

what an arrant, rascally, beggarly, lousy knave it is. I hope

your Majesty is pear me testimony and witness, and will

avouchment, that this is the glove of Alencon that your

Majesty is give me; in your conscience, now?

KING HENRY:

Give me thy glove, soldier. Look, here is the fellow of it.

'Twas I, indeed, thou promisedst to strike;

And thou hast given me most bitter terms.

FLUELLEN:

An it please your Majesty, let his neck answer for it, if

there is any martial law in the world.

KING HENRY:

How canst thou make me satisfaction?

WILLIAMS:

All offences, my lord, come from the heart. Never came

any from mine that might offend your Majesty.

KING HENRY:

It was ourself thou didst abuse.

WILLIAMS:

Your Majesty came not like yourself. You appear'd to me

but as a common man; witness the night, your garments, your

lowliness; and what your Highness suffer'd under that shape, I

beseech you take it for your own fault and not mine; for had you

been as I took you for, I made no offence; therefore, I beseech

your Highness, pardon me.

KING HENRY:

Here, uncle Exeter, fill this glove with crowns,

And give it to this fellow. Keep it, fellow;

And wear it for an honour in thy cap

Till I do challenge it. Give him his crowns;

And, captain, you must needs be friends with him.

FLUELLEN:

By this day and this light, the fellow has mettle enough in his

belly. Hold, there is twelve pence for you; and I pray you to

serve God, and keep you out of prawls, and prabbles, and

quarrels, and dissensions, and, I warrant you, it is the better

for you.

WILLIAMS:

I will none of your money.

FLUELLEN:

It is with a good will; I can tell you, it will serve you to mend

your shoes. Come, wherefore should you be so pashful? Your

shoes is not so good. 'Tis a good silling, I warrant you, or I

will change it.

[Enter [an English]Herald.]

KING HENRY:

Now, herald, are the dead numb'red?

HERALD:

Here is the number of the slaught'red French.

KING HENRY:

What prisoners of good sort are taken, uncle?

EXETER:

Charles Duke of Orleans, nephew to the King;

John Duke of Bourbon, and Lord Bouciqualt:

Of other lords and barons, knights and squires,

Full fifteen hundred, besides common men.

KING HENRY:

This note doth tell me of ten thousand French

That in the field lie slain; of princes, in this number,

And nobles bearing banners, there lie dead

One hundred twenty-six; added to these,

Of knights, esquires, and gallant gentlemen,

Eight thousand and four hundred; of the which,

Five hundred were but yesterday dubb'd knights;

So that, in these ten thousand they have lost,

There are but sixteen hundred mercenaries;

The rest are princes, barons, lords, knights, squires,

And gentlemen of blood and quality.

The names of those their nobles that lie dead:

Charles Delabreth, High Constable of France;

Jacques of Chatillon, Admiral of France;

The master of the cross-bows, Lord Rambures;

Great Master of France, the brave Sir Guichard Dauphin,

John Duke of Alencon, Anthony Duke of Brabant,

The brother to the Duke of Burgundy,

And Edward Duke of Bar; of lusty earls,

Grandpre and Roussi, Fauconberg and Foix,

Beaumont and Marle, Vaudemont and Lestrale.

Here was a royal fellowship of death!

Where is the number of our English dead?

[Herald shows him another paper.]

Edward the Duke of York, the Earl of Suffolk,

Sir Richard Ketly, Davy Gam, esquire;

None else of name; and of all other men

But five and twenty.—O God, thy arm was here;

And not to us, but to thy arm alone,

Ascribe we all! When, without stratagem,

But in plain shock and even play of battle,

Was ever known so great and little loss

On one part and on the other? Take it, God,

For it is none but thine!

EXETER:

'Tis wonderful!

KING HENRY:

Come, go we in procession to the village;

And be it death proclaimed through our host

To boast of this or take that praise from God

Which is His only.

FLUELLEN:

Is it not lawful, an please your Majesty, to tell how

many is kill'd?

KING HENRY:

Yes, Captain; but with this acknowledgment,

That God fought for us.

FLUELLEN:

Yes, my conscience, He did us great good.

KING HENRY:

Do we all holy rites.

Let there be sung Non nobis and Te Deum,

The dead with charity enclos'd in clay,

And then to Calais; and to England then,

Where ne'er from France arriv'd more happy men.

[Exeunt.]

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